Individual-thermometer holder.



'Unire EUSTACE T. BAKER, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

INDIVIDUAL-THERMOMETER HOLDER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patenten Apr. as, ieri.

Application filed December 5, 1910. Serial No. 595,57

To all whom it may concern:

`Be it known that l, EUs'rAcn T. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful improvements in vindividal-Thermometer Holders, of which the following is a specification.

',his invention relates t-o a holder for a clinical tl'iermoinetcr,'such as used by doctors and trained nurses in taking the temperatu re of patients in hospital Wards Where numbers of patients are treated for infectious or contagious diseases, itis frequently necessary, and always desirable, that the thern'iometer used for taking the temperature of each patient should be used exclusively by that patient and that such thermometer remain permanently in the room or at the bed-side of the patient in order that the identity of the same should not be lost. lt is also desirable to have the thermometer maintained in a disinfected or antiseptic condition and that the means for wiping the thermometer of the disinfecting fluid be conveniently at hand for expeditious use.

The object of this invention is to provide an individual thermometer holder calculated to meet the above conditions With means for permanently securing the same at a position near the bed side of the patient.

rlhe invention consists in the constructionand combination of parts to be more-fully described hereinafterv and particularly set forth in the claim.

Reference is hereby had to the accompanying drawings forming a partof this specification, in which similar character references indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a combined vertical sectional view and side elevation of the holder complete, .showing the` thermometer in its'position Within the same. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the apparatus complete in its position in the bracket or holder calculated to' retain the same in a permanently located place and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the bracket used for retaining the holder in a permanently located lace.

The casing 10, preferably made of glass, is frusto conical in form inorder that it may form a tight fit in the brackets 11 calculated to retain the same. The casing 10. is provided with a large cavity 12 reaching to the top thereof, the upper portion thereof having an outwardly beveled surface 13. A cork 15, preferably made of glass, provided with a frusto conical basin 15 and an opening 1G in the center thereof is calculated to fit the bevel surface 13 of the casing 10, thereby forming a cork for the casing 10, a receptical for absorbent cotton 17 and means of passage for the thermometer 18 into the cavity 12 ot' the casing 10 and the disinfectant 'solution 19. A body of absorbent cotton QO is placed in the bottom of the cavity 12 in the easing 10 as a support for the end of the thermometer 18 and to prevent the same being broken by striking against the casing 10 at the bottom of the cavity 12. A cover 21, preferably made of glass, is secured by hinge 22 to the casing 10.

The hinge 9,2 is provided with a coil spring 23. .A catch F24 in the casing 10 diametrically opposite the hinge Q2 is calculated to be received into the notch 25 of the cover :21 when the cover is doivn and to retain the same in that position.

lVhen it is desired to open the holder it is only necessary to press the thumb against the button Q8 connected with the catch E24, thereby releasing the saine from the notch 25 in the cover 2l and the coil spring 23 in the hinge QQ will throw open the cover 21, after the Imanner of the opening of a watch.

In the practical use of the apparatus the frame 27 carrying the brackets 11 is secured by thc screws 28 at a position near the bed side of the patient, and the casing 10 dropped into the brackets 11, which will rctain the same in a rigid position. The cas-- ing 1s opened in the manner above described,

the operator presses thethuinb and foreinger into the absorbent cotton 17 pressing the same against and around the thermometer 1S and with the thumb and foretinger of the other hand draws the thermometer t 18 from its position in the casing 10. The absorbent cotton 17 takes up the disinfectant solution 19, or such portion thereof as adheres to the thermometer 18,v leaving the thermometer perfectly clean and dry for use. After the temperature of the patient has been taken the thermometer 18 is dropped again into the casing 10, in the position shown in Fig. 1, the lid closed down with the hand, to the position shown inv` 2, whereby all of the part-s are retained in a permanent, secure and cleanly condition for future use.

Having thus described my inlention what roe E eoofiw vcure by Letters Patent is:

In an individual thermometer bolder, an

'elongated casing, rusto conical in form,

provided with a cover secured by a hinge with a spring, calculated to throw open the cover7 a'catch adapted for holding down the cover and secured to the casing at a position on the casing ,diametrioally' opposite the hinge, the casing provided with a central cavity reaching to the top thereof, the upper portion being conical in form and iit with a cork raving e frusto conical cavity and an opening in the center thereof, absorbentl material occupying said fruvsto conical cav- 15 ity, disinfectant baths occupying the cavity of the casing and an absorbent material at the bottom thereof.

In testimony whereol have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EUSTACE T. BAKER. `Witnesses: l

E. M. ENGSTROM, A. DISOTELL. 

